Pet books we like...

Friday, August 31, 2007

We're almost in!

It always goes down to the last minute doesn't it? With a holiday on Monday and us closing on the new house bright and early Tuesday morning, today was the last day for everyone to get their ducks in a row and complete any last minute paperwork. We believe everything has been taken care of, but I'm sure there will be some sort of surprise on Tuesday!

Since I do not have any of my pantry staples here at the temporary place, I did have to make a run to the market this afternoon to buy at least 7 of the ingredients to make this Thai Chicken Sauté for dinner tonight. Once I got some floral brown jasmine rice, mixed with a few tablespoons of wild rice, bubbling away on the stove, lean sliced chicken breasts are tossed with cornstach and fish sauce. This chicken mixture is then quickly cooked in a healthy glug of canola oil until the chicken is almost done. The chicken is removed and a few thin slices of onion are softened in the same skillet with a touch more oil. Garlic and fresh ginger are added and once you smell their fragrant aromas, the chicken is tossed back into the skillet, along with coconut milk, Sriracha, a dash of sugar and bright lime juice. Once heated through, the mixture is served on a bed of the nutty rice to soak up the savory sauce.

As the cornstarch gives the chicken an ethereal crust, it also helps thicken the sauce, while the fish sauce that was mixed with them brings a light salty bite to the dish. With a full two tablespoons of spicy Sriracha, the saucy coating is fairly hot, but it is tempered by the addition of cool and creamy coconut milk. You could get away with a heaping tablespoon, but the added flavor it brings is worth a little sweat. The squirt of fresh lime added some depth to the sauce with a garnish of chopped cilantro to finish the dish with a fresh flavor.